Modern memory systems include multiple memory chips that can be operated independently such that some memory chips can be busy processing instructions at a given time while others are idle and ready to receive instructions to process. Conventional memory systems include an operational status indicator that conveys a binomial logic signal indicating a first logic, e.g., logic 0, state when any one or more of the memory chips in the memory system are busy processing instructions, and a second logic state (opposite of the first logic state), e.g., logic 1, only when all memory chips in the memory system are idle and ready to receive instructions. It should also be understood that this status signaling approach is unable to identify how many or which particular memory chips are busy versus idle.
While the above-mentioned status signaling approach may be acceptable in small memory systems that include a very small number of memory chips, it should be appreciated that with a larger number of memory chips inefficiencies manifest in the above-mentioned status signaling approach. For example, if only one of the larger number of memory chips is busy, a memory controller will not receive a ready status signal and will have to wait to send additional instructions to the presently idle memory chips until the one busy memory chip completes its processing operations and becomes idle, even though the other idle memory chips are ready to receive instructions. Hence, the memory controller is not able to discern from the binomial logic status signal which one of the memory chips is busy. In view of the foregoing, more intelligent solutions are sought for status signaling in memory systems.